Old Man and the Son

He was an old man in a remote village. He worked as a farmer all his life and he never felt unhappy. He lost his wife ten years back. He has a young son who did not go to school in the village. He neither did help his father in the farm. Father is Robert and son is James.

“Son, you are good for nothing.” Robert says.

James also knows that he is good for nothing. So he kept quiet and look at his father like a boy with hurt by his father’s words.

“I want to see you work something and live like all people around with dignity.” Robert said.

“I have to go to city to live with dignity. This useless village is good for nothing.” James said.

“If you are good, everybody around you will be good. See good with your heart, not with your eyes.”

James looked at father’s face. He did not like his father when he says something like good things and good life. He does not know what is good and living with poverty in the smallest village without even bare minimum facilities is good in his opinion.

“James, I know that you don’t think living in a small village is not good.I am a man knowing what peace is and I know how to live with peace. Satisfaction is real peace in life. If you think that you have no facilities, no comforts and no minimum good life, you will be always unhappy. Satisfaction is happy life. If you are not satisfied with what you have, you cannot be happy throughout your life.” Robert said.

“I don’t agree. I am not a philosopher like you. You are always not happy with me. Now I will go to city and become a good earning man. I will send you big money you have not seen in your life.” James challenged his father.

Robert was silent. He knew that James will be unfit for society if he was allowed to live freely in the city. But he was unhappy that he cannot even stop him when he had determined strongly to go to the city. So he left him giving some huge amount he has saved for his son. James was happy at the money father gave him.

“Dad, believe me. I will earn with this money in the city where opportunities are more to earn with less investment. I will start sending you good money soon.” James said.

“I will be happy if you send money to me or not, but live with respect in society. Respect in the society is the real life for anyone.” Robert said.

James does not believe these words. He believes that earning is everything, respect and norms in earning will not be counted when you are a rich man. Many rich people, he believes, started doing something illegal and when they are standing as the rich, they start doing some social service to put their past buried in those good services.

After few months of his arrival to the city, James started earning well and he started sending money to his father. Robert could not believe. How could he earn money like that? It was a suspense under cover for him.

One day Robert contacted him in a mobile of his friend and talked to James:

“What are you doing?” Robert asked.

“I am doing some business.” James said.

“What business is that?”

“Why do you worry about the business I am doing dad? Keep the money for your needs and be happy in this age, dad. Stop farming now, I Know that your health is not good. Stay at home and be happy dad.”

“I want to come and see the business you are doing. Till then I will not be happy.”

“It is not possible now, dad. I am not in one place and my business makes me visit new places frequently. I am staying in a friend’s flat. When I take a home, I will definitely call you. Till then, forget everything and be happy dad.” James said.

Robert did not say anything. He started banking the money James was sending. James did not come home even once in five years.

One day, a police officer from the nearby big city came to Robert and asked him to come with him. Robert thought that his son was a problem for this and he may be a criminal in the city.

When he reached the city, he was made appear before the mayor.

Mayor showed the photo of James to Robert and asked him:

“Is this boy your son?”

Robert was in dilemma. But he believes that the truth is always powerful.

“Yes sir, he is my son.”

“Do you know what he does here?”

“Really, I don’t know sir.”

“Robert, Your son is a brave boy and he helped the police department here by working as the informer. He will be one in any gang of antisocial elements and he informs about them to the department. Whatever gifts or prize money he gets, he uses to send it to you. He asked the police department to keep your id as top secret.” Mayor said.

Robert was happy first time, in his life, about his son. He felt sorry for what he thought about his son all these days.

Mayor continued saying:

“Robert, in a war with such anti social gang, your son is shot dead by the gang leader. We have managed to arrest them, but we lost a gem, your son.”

Robert, the old man, collapsed hearing this. Truth is always something that hurts or makes you happy.

“The government is awarding ten million dollars for the services of your son. Please take the body of your son and money. Your son will be one of the memorable people of our government service.”

Robert was silent. He did not spell a single word. He was feeling heavy loss of his son when he heard about his son’s services to the society. He was crying silently.

After few months, the money James earned was used for constructing a school.

James middle school in that remote village is now very popular.

James did not go to school while he is alive, but now the school with his name is very popular and a lot of students from the village and nearby villages are getting educated to serve the country soon.

__END__